In a Different World
by Jack of the North
Summary: Percy/Hermione. Its a love story, simple as that. AU, obviously. Ratings to be safe, I tend to forget to change it if I change my mind. I do not own Harry Potter. Give Percy a chance, he's move lovable then you'd think.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapters will be short, lengths similiar to my story, _The Warmth of Summer_. Don't ask for longer chapters, its not going to happen. _

* * *

Percy stood awkwardly, his glasses askew, his usually perfect hair mussed and sloppy, his pyjama top was ripped to reveal one toned shoulder. Next to him, Fred looked no better. They had been fighting, wrestling, in the way that brothers do; enemies one minute, best friends the next.

They stood in the kitchen, heads hung; listening as their mother ranted and raved about fighting and more importantly, fighting inside the house.

"There is a baby in the house!" she shrieked. "He's impressionable. Two year olds soak up everything around them and what do you think he's going to learn when he sees his two uncles fighting like a bunch of teenagers!"

"Mum!" Fred protested. "Teddy fights anyway. You should see him and Harry wrestle."

"There's a difference and you know it!"

Percy coughed, unconvincingly covering the chuckle that was threatening to escape. He knew it wasn't funny but he had spent twenty-four years being the responsible one and every now and then it was nice to play at being a kid again.

Luckily, the opening door saved him from further chastising. Hermione stepped through, her hair blowing in all directions, and slammed the door shut behind her.

"I found them Molly," she said and threw a stack of mail down on kitchen table.

Molly picked them up, the fighting men momentarily forgotten. "Thank you, dear. Where were they?"

"Two were in the garden, up a tree; four were desperately attempting to avoid the pond."

His mother nodded and continued looking threw the mail.

Hermione pulled one last letter out of her pocket and handed it to Fred with a wink. She then noticed the state of the men. "What on earth have you two been doing?"

Percy blushed at the critical, assessing look she was giving him. He became self-conscious that half of his chest was exposed and lamely attempted to tug the material back in place. Just because his brothers insisted on parading their bodies about, didn't mean he desired to do the same.

Hermione stepped closer to him, her eyes raking over his body sending his blush from his face to every square inch of his pale skin.

"Nice tat," she whispered before turning and heading upstairs. "I'm having a hot shower!" she called over her shoulder. "That wind was freezing."

Percy looked down and sure enough, the tattoo that he had gone to great lengths to hide from his mother was clearly visible through the thin white fabric of his shirt.

It had been on a whim, him and the twins had gone together, not long after the war, and they had each gotten a Latin phrase tattooed across their ribs. His read, Nil Illegitimus Carborundum.

He nervously crossed his arms over his chest, hoping his mother hadn't noticed it yet but she was still distracted by the mail. He turned to Fred but his brother had disappeared. He was tossing up whether to flee or not when he mother stopped him.

"This one is for you, dear. From Penelope, I'd guess."

Percy blushed anew and accepted the proffered letter. It was pink and smelled of the perfume Penny insisted on spraying on every correspondence, be it to the ministry, to the newspaper or to him. But what could he say? He loved her…


	2. Chapter 2

"He hasn't come out of his room for three days," Molly worried, staring up at the ceiling. Everyone was seated around the Weasley kitchen table, happily enjoying a good home cooked meal. All except Percy who hadn't been seen since he retired to his room to read a letter from his girlfriend.

Except for a muffled, "Go away!" no one had heard him either. They figured the letter was a 'Dear John,' letter and had decided to let him be. Molly, however, was getting impatient and wanted to know what was happening with her son. She resolutely put down her knife and fork and made her way up the stairs.

"Mum, no! Just leave him!" from nearly all her children followed her but she refused to have her son shut himself away all because of some girl. He'd shut himself off from his family once before, and she wouldn't let it happen again.

She knocked lightly on his door and called, "Percy? Percy dear, we're having lunch, won't you come and join us?"

After three more attempts, she was ready to give up when the door flung open and Percy stalked past her down to the kitchen. His hair was a mess, his glasses lost or broken somewhere in the mess that was his room and he had stubble covering his face. Molly resisted the urge to wrap him in a hug and instead just followed him, dishing him up a plate of chicken.

He sat angrily at the table, stabbing at his chicken and everyone was stunned speechless. They had never seen Percy like this before, so aggressive, so angry.

They all mumbled a hello and then avoided him. Except Hermione. She'd dealt with enough moody Weasley men to know that the best approach is to just confront them.

"She break your heart, Percy?" she asked and the table full of people gasped and turned towards first her and then to Percy to await his reaction.

"It's none of your business, Hermione," he growled.

"I have to sit here and look at your sulking face, therefore it's my business."

"Go to hell!" he yelled suddenly. "You don't have to be here! Don't you have your own family to go to?"

The still table burst into life, hurling angry comments at the depressed surly redhead.

"Stop!" Hermione called and they fell silent. She had dealt with her parent's unhappiness along time ago, she didn't need them defending her honour because of it.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," Percy said, not looking at her.

"No you're not. If you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it in the first place."

"No, I am. I wasn't thinking."

"All the same, in the moment you meant it. Don't apologise Percy, just get off your backside, look around you and realise that the world still turns, life goes on and all you can do it start over again."

Percy glared at her and headed outside. Hermione shrugged and went back to her chicken. "He'll come around a lot faster if we don't baby him."

Molly looked ready to bolt out after him but after a gently word from Arthur, she settle down and the rest of lunch continued without any more dramatics.


	3. Chapter 3

Percy sat by the dying fire, catching up on the reports he'd failed to write during his self-imposed imprisonment. Hermione had brought them home for him, slapped them in front of him and said, "Stop wallowing and do some work."

He'd been angry at first, angry that she once again pushed her way into his life but the files had called to him and he was soon lost in the world of Underage Magic.

The stack of parchment to his left teetered dangerously before spilling all over the floor. He sighed and piled them up again into two smaller piles. His fingers were smudged with ink and his back ached from leaning over the low coffee table but for the first time in a week he hadn't thought about Penny every second of the day and for that, the aches and pains were worth it.

He abandoned his work and weaved through the cluttered house to the kitchen. He scrubbed at his ink-stained hands, determined to have them clean before he turned in for bed.

A cough from the bench caught his attention and he turned to see Hermione perched on the counter top, eating the last of the Cherry Pie. The pie he was going to have when he finished washing his hands. Her slender ink stained fingers were wrapped around the fork, greedily eating the last bite.

"I hope you didn't want that," she said, jumping off the counter and putting her plate in the sink. She lightly touched her fingers to his, were one stain stubbornly remained.

Then she held up her own hands.

"I gave up around half way through second year."

"Yes, well, I happen to take pride in my appearance."

Hermione ran her eyes from the top of his head, down to his toes and back up again. He was barefoot, in his pyjamas, still unshaven with what could only be described as a beard growing and his glasses were pushed up on top of his messy unwashed hair.

"Yeah, you're the picture of perfection. Perfect Percy." She snorted and made her way to the pantry where she pulled out a tin of cookies. She sat down at the table and offered one to Percy. Eying her carefully, he took on and sat down two chairs down from her.

It had been hard, moving home to a changed house. The twins were gone and in their place were Harry and Hermione. A very different dynamic. He didn't like how comfortable Hermione was in the house. The way she moved around as if she had lived there her whole life. How she had practically taken over the study. The way his mother would fawn over her and how all his brothers seemed to worship her.

He cleared his throat. "Thank you for bringing home that work for me. It helped… take my mind of things."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

He stood up suddenly. "No, I don't want to tell _you._"

Hermione slammed the cookie tin down on the table top. "Get over yourself, Percy. Stop blaming me for the things _you_ did wrong. You left your family and though I'm just as happy as they are that you are back, I'm not going to dance around on eggshells near you. Things change, deal with it. If you're still not fitting in, it's not because of me."

Percy sighed and watched as she turned and stomped out of the room. He sat back down and grabbed the tin. Holding it to his chest, he ate every last biscuit, wallowing in self-pity.


	4. Chapter 4

_See, Percy's not so bad, is he? _

* * *

Percy bounded down the stairs Monday morning, determined, at least, to pretend he was happy. He didn't want to give Hermione any more ammunition.

_Weren't there other people in the house that needed her meddling? _

He was surprised, when he passed through the living room, to find Hermione and Fred huddled together over what appeared to be a jewellery box.

"Fred, it's beautiful. Any woman would be crazy not to say yes to you," Hermione gushed. Percy's brows furrowed together in confusion.

_Was - was Fred proposing to Hermione? _

Fred threw his arms around Hermione, kissing her quickly on the cheek before bounding back up the stairs, slapping Percy on the shoulder as he passed. He took the box with him.

_So if he wasn't proposing to Hermione, then who? _

Hermione turned and smiled at Percy, joy written clearly across her face. She threw her arms around Percy's very shocked body, forcibly twirling him around before releasing him again.

"Isn't love grand?" she sang, making her way into the kitchen.

"Uh, sure," Percy said. For the first time in his life, he was at a complete loss for words.

_What a silly bint, _Percy thought to himself. _Do I look like I think love is grand? I think love is a sharp blade straight to the heart. _

His plan to act happy ruined, he followed her into the kitchen where it seemed her infectious loved up mood had spread. His mother and father were dancing to an old song from the forties on the wireless and Harry and Ginny were staring into each other's eyes.

He rolled his eyes and sat down, waiting for his mother to finish her dance and dish out breakfast.

"Oh, Percy, you're looking well," his mother said, finally realising he was in the room. "Isn't it a lovely day?"

Obviously the entire Burrow had decided to forget Percy's week of depression.

"It's satisfactory, I suppose."

Ron snickered over his toast, stopping when Hermione's elbow connected with his ribs.

"What?" Ron asked, completely lacking in tact, as he dug into the bacon and eggs Molly had lain out before him.

"Off to work, Perce?" Hermione asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Yes, Herms," he replied, his sarcastic tone let it be know that he did not appreciate the nickname.

Fred and George entered the suddenly tense scene, Fred waltzing a sleepy George around the room, much as their parents had done, except a lot more exaggerated. Finally, he let an exhausted George collapse onto the floor, missing the chair he was aiming for.

"Ladies, gentlemen, Ron, you are looking at a single man for the last time. Tonight, I'm going to ask my fair Luna for her hand in marriage."

Hermione smiled, already in on the plan, while everyone else clapped and cheered for the lovesick fool.

Everyone except Percy.

"Excuse me, I have a lot of work to catch up on," he muttered and before anyone could stop him, he was in the fireplace and gone.

Hermione sighed and decided it would be her personal mission to cheer up Percy, even if it was the last thing she ever did.


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry the editing is so shirty but I only have like ten minutes.  
_

* * *

Percy was hunched over a stack of documents, working late into the night. No matter how much work Hermione had brought home to him, he had never fully caught up and this was the third night in a row he had worked late into the night at the Ministry. The mood back at the Burrow certainly didn't help matters any.

Luna had, of course, said yes. He had hoped he would miss Fred's recounting of proposing by missing dinner but he had told Percy a special retelling over breakfast, just for him. Percy had smiled as best he could and shook his brother's hand but had dashed out of the room at the first available chance. And Ginny and Harry had finally found the perfect house to move into. They had taken over the second floor after they got married until they could find somewhere to move into and thankfully and horribly they finally had. Each breakfast he had to listen to a detailed description of where every single little thing would go when they moved in this weekend.

He welcomed hours of mindless work if that was the hell that he had to look forward to when he got home.  
Percy finally finished up on the last document and signed off on the stack of paper work. He deposited it in his 'out' box and gathered his things to floo home. He checked his watch.

'_Ahh, still only __eight-thirty__.'_

He decided that a drink at the Leaky Cauldron was in order and was off before the rational, logical side of his brain could stop him.

When he got there, he wished he would have given it a moment to stop him. There, sitting at the bar, was Hermione.

_Great._

No table was empty so, depositing his briefcase on the floor and shrugging out of his cloak, he lifted himself onto one of the stools at the bar, a couple down from the annoying witch.

He had once thought they were kindred spirits, he and Hermione. He was sure Harry and Ron wouldn't be able to influence her and distract her. He thought she would just ignore their reckless stupidity, like he was able to do with his brothers, but alas, she had succumbed. Listening to them reminisce, as they were inclined to do whenever they had had too much Firewhisky, it was clear to see that on more then one occasion she had been at the head of the planning. The Polyjuice incident in their second year both horrified and impressed him. It was a shame she was such a trouble maker, she was obviously a brilliant and beautiful young witch.

"Hey, Perce," Hermione said brightly, using that awful nickname. "Come sit by me."

She patted the chair next to her and a couple of people looked over at them. He had no choice now but to slide down the couple of seats to her.

"What are you doing here? Can't take the perpetual Valentine's Day at home, either?"

Percy gritted his teeth. 'It's _my _home, _mine!_ Not your's!' he wanted to yell at her. But instead he just smiled tightly and nodded to Tom, the bartender and asked for a Firewhisky.

"Make that a double," he added as Hermione began to prattle on about the new law on house elves she was trying to get passed.

And so it continued. Hermione was determined to engage him in conversation and wouldn't shut up. The more he ignored her the more nervous she got and the more she drank. And Percy was too polite to just leave, so as the evening wore on, the more he drank to tune her out, occasionally adding a comment here and there just to keep her happy.

Eventually the balance shifted though and he began to talk. However, by then they were both too drunk to really understand what _they_ were saying, let alone what the other person was trying to tell them. And so they prattled on, drunkenly slurring out all the things they hated and loved about the other person.

"You stood up to your family!" Hermione slurred. "You were dead wrong, but at least you showed some backbone."

"Yeah, but your eyes are so pretty."

Yes, they talked and they drank some more.


	6. Chapter 6

_This chapter is longer then usually, pretty random, pretty silly, but it gets better towards the end. I hope.  
_

* * *

To say what followed was a graceful dance between man and woman would be… lying. To say that it was an intimate and special experience between two friends would be… a fraudulent stretch of the truth. A more apt description of their coupling might be a comparison to monkeys on the discovery channel. Let's take a look…

Hermione and Percy flooed into the empty kitchen of the Burrow. It was nearly two in the morning and the house and its occupants were sleeping. Their hands wandered freely as they stumbled their way up the stairs to Percy's room. With the grace of a rampaging elephant, they shoved the door open and tumbled into the room.

They didn't even pick themselves up off the floor as they hurriedly began undressing each other. Hermione pushed Percy's jacket off his shoulder while he pressed his hungry lips to hers. Hermione's jack and shirt soon followed.

Hermione's fingers fumbled at his buttons, while his fumbled at her bra. Drunk they were, skilled they were not. Eventually they swapped; Hermione unclasped her bra, while Percy pulled his shirt over his head, bypassing the buttons altogether. Hermione trailed her fingers over his tattoo, making Percy squirm.

They smiled foolishly at each other before continuing their undressing, Percy's eyes locked on Hermione's bobbing breasts the whole time. In their undressing, they managed to get onto their feet and stood opposite each other, evaluating the other person's nakedness.

"Being back with your brothers has done you good, Perce," Hermione slurred. His smile was slightly lopsided, giving him the look of a six year old who has just been knocked off his broom. His body was a different matter, though. There was nothing boyish about that. Every part of him stook tall and proud. _Every_ part of him.

Then they were on each other, the bed again being too far, as they simply crumpled to the floor. Arms and legs went in every which was as their mouths pressed against each other in what was their drunken idea of a kiss. When they finally positioned themselves, Percy flat on his back, Hermione straddling him, a noise from above them stopped them in their tracks.

"What do you think…?" Percy asked, his hands paused on her breasts.

"Crookshanks?" Hermione suggested. They both looked up at the ceiling a moment before Hermione shrugged and impaled herself on the man lying below her.

Percy groaned in pleasure and the mating ritual began.

Their bodies fit together perfectly, despite the sloppy moves of their owners. Hermione's breast fit perfectly in the palm of his hand and Percy's arms around her waist felt safe and right. When they moved to the bed, afterwards, Hermione's fingers traced languidly over the black script across Percy's ribs and down lower to the sleeping dragon that was waking again.

And round two began.

Hermione sat at her desk and shook her head. She had screwed up royally. More then royally. Glactically, universally, wholly, completely and without question, Hermione had screwed up.

She should have just left him be. Shouldn't have gone out of her way to make him feel better.

Hermione groaned and buried her face in her hands. Yep, she'd definitely made him feel better. Twice.

She was ashamed of her actions. Even intoxicated she never ever thought she would engage in a one-night stand with _Percy._ With any Weasley, for that matter. They were like family, off limits.

She had done the cowards thing this morning and snuck out before dawn. It was a Saturday, but she had claimed she had to work as she waved goodbye to Molly before practically running into the fireplace.

She'd know. Molly had know. Hermione could see it written across her face. She knew that Hermione had engaged in sexual activity with her son the night before.

Hermione groaned, shuddered and shook her head, still buried behind her hands.

Her and Percy, Percy Weasley, had had sex last night.

"What are you doing here this morning, Hermione?" her boss asked.

Hermione lifted her head and focused on Mr Vinkirk as he stared down at from the opening to her cubicle.

"I had a report to finish." It was lame, but her brain was still fuzzy and it was all she could come up with.

"You mean that report?" he asked and pointed to the finished report that had been sitting in her outbox since yesterday afternoon.

"Yes, that one." She blushed bright red and began shifting parchment and quills around on her desk.

"Hermione, I don't care if you're hiding from your problems, but maybe at work isn't the best place?"

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, not at all." He pulled a chair from the next cubicle over and sat down facing Hermione. "I'm not angry, I'm concerned. You work late nearly everyday and this isn't the first time I've caught you at work on a Saturday. I'm sure if the Ministry didn't go into lockdown on a Sunday, you'd be in here then too."

"With all due respect, sir, do you have a point? I mean, for you to see me here late or on the weekends, you have to be here to. Does this little speech apply to you, too?"

Vinkirk's lip twitched and Hermione realised she had never seen him smile before.

"Exactly, if you don't slow down, get a life, you'll end up here as much as I am. I love my work, I'm very committed to it but sometimes I wished I slowed down when I was younger. Now I don't know how."

Hermione began to respond but he cut her off.

"Home. Now. Pack your stuff up and go home. I don't want to see you here on another Saturday unless requested. Understand?"

"Yes, sir but there's just a couple of things –"

"No, go."

It wasn't harsh but it was final. Muttering under her breath she gathered her things and headed towards the elevator. She pressed the button and waited for it to arrive at her floor.

When the doors open there stood Percy. They stared at each other a moment before Hermione stepped into the elevator.

"You're heading home early, it's barely ten," Percy said after a moment.

"I was told that my presence wasn't required on Saturdays anymore."

"Your boss kick you out?"

Hermione glanced quickly at Percy then away again just as quickly.

"He believes I am working too hard. You?"

Percy sighed. "The same."

They were both quiet a moment before laughing.

"So much for avoiding you," Percy said, chuckling.

"Hey!" Hermione cried before they dissolved into giggles again.

They arrived at the Atrium and headed towards the fireplaces.

"After you," Percy said.

Hermione smiled and stepped forward. She paused and turned to face Percy.

"About last night…"

"Thank you."

"Excuse me?" Hermione didn't think she had heard him right. _Thank you?_

"I know I've been… a git. Before Penny broke up with me, I think I was loosening up a bit and then it just withdrew and didn't want anything to do with anyone. This morning I realised that she's gone, she left and that's no ones fault. We just were right together."

"Percy…"

He held up his hand. "And I'm sorry for being so angry at you. You're right, its not your fault if I haven't found a place back in the family dynamic."

"Gee, if I knew you were going to own up to all your wrongs, I would have slept with you earlier."

Percy laughed nervously and his ears turned red. "Yeah, about that, though it was great, amazing actually, I really would prefer if you not tell anyone. I mean, I'm not ashamed to have been with you, but Ron and Harry would hex my bits off if they knew. And Mum…" He shuddered.

Hermione laughed, "Well I don't know about Ron and Harry but I'm pretty sure your mum already knows."

The colour drained from his face and he took a wobbly step back.

"She's going to kill me."

"No, she won't. If she kills anyone, it will be me."

"We'll just deny it. Okay? If she says anything, just act like you don't know what she's talking about." He was panicking by now.

Hermione placed a hand over his arm. "Percy, calm down. No one is getting killed. We're grown adults but if it makes you feel better, I'll deny it. Okay?"

Percy nodded.

"Okay, I'm going to go back to the Burrow. Are you coming?"

He nodded and with one last glance at him over her shoulder, Hermione stepped in the fireplace.

"The Burrow!"

* * *

_Oh that was just crap but next chapter will be better, I promise! _


	7. Chapter 7

Percy successfully avoided his mother and Hermione for the rest of the day, though he fell into bed tired and hungry. His feet ached and his stomach protested loudly. He'd walked. And walked and walked some more. All across the country side, his only provisions an apple and a bottle of water.

Despite his aching body, his heart felt lighter. Not completely healed, but definitely on the mend. He hadn't thought of anything in particular while he trudged, just let his mind wander. He didn't read too much into how often his mind wandered to Hermione's naked body. He was a man, of course it was natural to fantasise about her. It didn't mean anything. Right?

Hermione was great, they had a lot in common when he thought about it – which he had – but that was it. He couldn't even see them as friends let alone anything more.

He sighed. He needed to speak to his brother. The question was which one? Bill he decided and headed downstairs to floo his brother.

"Shell Cottage!" he cried, placing only his head in the fireplace in the kitchen. "Bill!" he called.

A couple of minutes later and some more hollering, Bill stumbled to his knees in front of his fireplace.

"Percy? What's wrong?" Bill rubbed his sleep filled eyes, his chest bare.

"Nothing _wrong_, it's just… I slept with Hermione!"

Bill's mouth popped open in shock and he stared at his younger brother, not quite sure he'd heard him right.

"You drugged her with a sleeping potion?" he asked, checking to make sure he hadn't seriously heard wrong.

"No," Percy hissed, glancing over his shoulder into the Burrow's kitchen. "I had sex with her! I but my penis in her –"

"Okay, I get the point! What – how?"

"Let's just say alcohol was involved. But now I'm… confused. What do I do? What do you think she expects? Should I ask her out? That's what a gentleman would do."

Bill shook his head at his brother's ramblings, just like Percy to do the gentlemanly thing.

"Well what did she say after? How did she act?" Bill asked, trying to get some more pieces to the puzzle.

"She was fine, she joked about it, was happy to forget it ever happen."

"Well then, maybe you should just go on as normal." Bill yawned and let his mind wander back up the stairs to where his wife waited for him.

"But what about how I feel?!" Percy yelled just as Bill was about to say goodnight. "I'm starting to have feelings for her, but is it just a rebound thing or because we slept together? You have to help me!" Percy shrieked as he worked himself up.

"Calm down, breathe brother. Just act cool the next couple of weeks and I promise you, you will come to see this as just a fun drunken night which is what Hermione probably sees it as. She's a modern woman; she's not going to fall in love with you after one night together. So be calm, get some sleep and it will all look cleared in the morning. Okay?"

Percy nodded. "Okay."

"Okay. Goodnight, Percy."

Percy began to pull out of the fire, his back twinging painful when Bill called him back.

"Percy? Hermione hey? Good work." Percy scowled at his brother laughing retreating form as Bill climbed back up the stairs. Bill paused just at the top of the stairs. "She's like the bloody White Whale to us Weasleys and you landed her. Good work, brother, good work."

Percy pulled out of the fire with a chuckle to himself. He turned to face the kitchen and nearly died of a heart attack to find Fred and George perched on the counter, grinning at him.

"Hermione, eh? Nice," they said together. Percy groaned and dropped his head to his chest.

"Great."


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione glared at the twins as they dragged Percy through her door. It was the middle of the night and it didn't matter that she wasn't asleep; entering someone's bedroom while they're in bed is just plain rude.

The evil grins and Percy's blushing also had her on the offensive - a good offence being the best defence. Nothing good could come from this. Nothing.

"So Hermione," George began. "What's going on with you and our brother here? There we were, innocently getting a midnight snack -"

"- when in we walk to the kitchen and there's Percy, pouring his heart out to Bill about how you and he hooked up. So, what happened?" Hermione glared from George to Fred as each spoke before finally settling on Percy.

"Can I talk to you? Alone." It wasn't really a question. Fred and George laughed and happily left there brother to fend for himself against the angry brunette.

"What happened to not telling anyone?" she asked, one eyebrow cocked, her mouth set in an unhappy line.

Percy yawned and sat on the edge of her bed, exhaustion overwhelming him.

"I needed someone to talk to. I don't know about you but I don't make a habit out of sleeping with my brother's best mates."

"And I don't make a habit out of sleeping with my best mate's brothers but I managed to keep it to myself!" she hissed at him.

Percy opened his mouth to defend himself but his day spent walking was catching up on him and he instead just muttered, "I'm sorry," under his breath before lying back on the foot of Hermione's bed.

From the other side of the door they could hear Fred and George howl with laughter and Hermione counted to five in her head...

__

One, two, three, four, five.

"What on earth are you two doing lurking outside of Hermione's door?" Mrs Weasley demanded.

Hermione's breathing stopped mid-exhale as she waited to hear what the twin's would say. She should have known better then to hope as the twins laid the naked truth out to their mother.

"We'll you see we were getting a midnight snack -"

"-You don't even live here," their mother interrupted.

"- Yeah but that's not the point, is it?" Fred defended. "Beside George still lives here. Anyway, we were getting a snack and there we find Percy, head in the fire, telling Bill how he made a woman out of Hermione."

"A what?" Mrs Weasley asked, hoping for Hermione and Percy's sake the twins hadn't discovered their dirty little secret.

"Oh, I don't think our Hermione went all these years without a man. You know, Mum" George piped up. "He gave her a helping of his pork swo-"

"Yes, thank you, George, I'm well aware of what you mean. So what are you doing here? Torturing the poor girl?"

"No!" said George defensively though he blushed. "We're just giving the lovely couple a helpful push together."

"Well get back to bed and don't you breathe a word of this to anyone."

The twins grumbled their agreement and trotted off to bed. Hermione didn't hear the heavier footsteps on the stairs that would signal Mrs Weasley's return to bed and groaned silently when the knock on the door came.

"Come in," Hermione called wearily. She shot a look towards Percy and started when she saw he wasn't where he had been. He was fast asleep and had wormed his way up the bed while Hermione had been focused on the conversation in the hallway. He was now closer up the top of the bed and to the casual observer it looked like a comfy, intimate setting.

Mrs Weasley stuck her head in the door before fully entering the room. She looked at Percy's sleeping form before sitting in the spot her son had occupied not a couple of minutes before.

"I was hoping to speak to both of you..." Mrs Weasley trailed off but Percy didn't wake at the sound of his mother's voice.

"It's not what it looks like. The twins shoved him in here and he fell asleep. Not surprising really, he was gone most of the day walking the countryside."  
Mrs Weasley studied the couple on the bed. She'd spent the day thinking about what it would mean if her third eldest and Hermione got together and she hadn't come to any solid conclusions. It was too hard to wrap her mind around. Percy and Hermione just didn't get along and despite whatever drunken activities took place the night before she couldn't see them together.

Finally she just patted Hermione's knee and stood up. "I just don't want to see either of you hurt." She smiled tightly before leaving them to it.

Hermione sighed and fell back in bed, not bothering to try and move the sleeping Weasley next to her. She closed her eyes and blessedly sleep came quickly. Her last thoughts before drifting off was the hope that no one come _in_ before she could get Percy _out_.


	9. Chapter 9

_I don't know what happened to the formatting... I can't fix it. Sorry. _

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Percy woke just before dawn, his arms wrapped around Penny. He breathed in her scent and snuggled closer. No, that wasn't right. She didn't smell right, she smelt like books and apples and potions ingrediants. Percy opened his eyes and took in the room he was in. The walls were covered with filled to bursting bookshelves and photos of Hermione with her friends and family. Ginny's things were in boxes, stuffed in the corner. He sat up on his elbow to get a better look at the girl in his arms. Her face was calm, soft and gentle in sleep. She looked beautiful, Percy thought. So different from the harsh, bossy girl he knew she could be.

Unbidden, memories of their night together sprung to mind and his morning erection tightened in response. Percy leapt back as if he had been burned and tumbled off the edge of the bed.  
"Not good," he said to himself. "Not good at all."  
His mandhood twitched again as, on the tail of the memories, his dreams from last night evaded his brain, overlapping his vision of what he could actually see with sins he had dreamt about with this woman.  
Hermione sighed in her sleep and turned over, searching for the body that she subconsciously knew should be there. Her eyes fluttered open and found Percy on the floor, trying to readjust his pants.  
"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, eyeing the bulge in his pants. She was still sleepy, her own dreams dancing before her eyes.  
Percy turned bight red. "It - it might be," he stuttered.  
"Oh," was all Hermione said.  
"Oh?" Percy said. "You often find men in your room at dawn with hardons?"  
It was Hermione's turn to blush. "NO! It's just, understandable. I mean, you spent the night in bed with a woman and you know, you're a guy. It's natural."  
This didn't appease Percy. He jumped up, grabbing a pillow to hide the very distinct bulge and headed towards the door. Just as he was about to retreat to the safety of his room, a pair of cackles sounded just outside the door.  
"Percy? Are you in there?" one of the twins cried. "You're not in your bed."  
"Come out, Percy!" the other one cried, Fred, Hermione thought. "We just want to talk."  
They laughed again, unknowingly setting Hermione off. She jumped up from the bed, pushed Percy aside and yanked open the door.  
"Yes!" she cried. "He's in here and no you are not going to find out what happened! We might have gone straight to sleep, we might have had hot crazy sex. And filmed it! Either way it is none, I repeat none! of your business. Now sod off and leave us alone."  
The twins stood on the other side of the door, stunned.  
"Yes ma'am!" They saluted together and then turned and headed back to their room.  
Hermione sighed and turned to face Percy.  
"You, you leave me alone. The other night was... what it was. Doesn't mean we have to get married, it doesn't mean you have to woo me, it means that we are two sort of friends who had sex and now it will never be spoken of again. Okay"?"  
"Okay," Percy said and stumbled out of the room. He had watched on, shocked as Hermione had told the twins off. He'd never seen anyone do that besides him mum. Hermione was a superwoman. She was perfect. He loved her.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N This is actually the last chapter. *Tear* It crept up on me and it was over before I knew what had happened. Thanks for following this fic witch its tiny chapters and no actual story line. Every review, alert and favourite was appreciated. _

_This chapter is dedicated to kk1999 and she's probably thinking 'huh? why?' lol but your review last chapter inspired me to take my time and give this chapter the attention is deserved. _

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Over the next few weeks, Percy watched Hermione closely while the rest of the family seemed to be watching him. Though the twins swore they didn't breathe a word to anyone, suddenly everyone was very well informed of the fling between Percy and Hermione. The fling that didn't actually exist. Percy's staring, however, wasn't helping matters.

Hermione was blissfully oblivious to it all; to Percy's attention to her, to the Weasley family's knowledge of her sex life, to Harry and Ron's horror of it all. So, on Thursday afternoon when Mrs Weasley asked if she could help clean out the broom shed she happily accented. Even when she noticed Percy standing awkwardly in the doorway, holding a box for his mother, she didn't realise that it was all a setup, better for Mrs Weasley to observe them.

"Oh, you're here, good!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed, spotting Hermione as she approached the shed. Hermione shot a quick smile at Percy before surveying the shed. It was a tiny thing; the rotting wood was held together with the bare minimum of rusty nails. The 'broom shed', as it was commonly called, had recently become a dumping ground for the constant flux of residents at the Burrow. It seemed to be the place to leave any of their useless crap that they no longer wanted but couldn't bear to throw away. Only a handful of old brooms were actually stored there and they were all big old clunky ones that had gone out of fashion years before.

Every spare inch of space, from floor to ceiling, had been stuffed with boxes, books, childhood toys and an innumerable number of knitted 'Weasley' jumpers in all sizes and colours. Hermione shot a look at Mrs Weasley, ready to offer a comforting word but she was simply shaking her head, a small smile on her lips.

"I wondered where they were stashing them all," she said to Hermione with a laugh.

"I've kept all of mine, Mum," Percy promised, a touch of the pompous Percy shining through.

"Of course you did, dear," Mrs Weasley said.

Hermione smothered a laugh and stepped closer to help determine the best way to sort through the mess. They debated for a few minutes and didn't come up with anything productive. The problem was everything was stacked in such a way that if you removed anything, the rest of the tower threatened to come tumbling down around them.

"Oh, to hell with it," Hermione muttered before raising her wand and pointing it at the shed. "Accio jumpers!" 

With a groan and an ominous creaking sound, the jumpers exploded from the shed, sending wood and objects in every direction. Hermione had underestimated the quantity of jumpers and was soon buried beneath a mountain of wool as they all gravitated towards her. They pressed down on her, much heavier than expected and she had to wait a minute for Percy and Mrs Weasley to dig her out. She came out laughing which abruptly was cut off as she surveyed the damage she had caused. The backyard of the Burrow was littered with debris; wood, brooms, old books and a slew of random objects were scattered from one end of the yard to the other.

"I'm so sor-"

"Don't be!" Mrs Weasley cut her off before she could finish. "That old shed needed to be replaced anyway and now I have a real excuse to do it. Are you alright, though? How about you sit down while I go make you a cup of tea? Percy, look after her."

Mrs Weasley bustled off back inside and immediately took up her post at the kitchen window that gave her a clear view of the young couple. Absentmindedly she set the kettle to boiling water without looking. Outside Percy had led Hermione to the garden bench Mr Weasley had gotten his wife for Christmas, and helped her sit.

"I'm fine, really," Hermione told Percy, both unaware to Mrs Weasley's spying. The wince as she sat down though betrayed her words and Percy conjured a cushion to place behind her back. She smiled her thanks at him. He swept an anxious gaze over her, on the lookout for and bruises or cuts. Hermione was touched by his concern and felt a surge of affection towards the grumpiest Weasley. She tried to keep her expression clear of pain but she was starting to feel the aches of being buried by jumpers, in retrospect not such a fun, or funny, experience.

Percy debated what to say to the young woman who had become his obsession; to confess all; to scold over a foolish act; to praise over such a bold act; to simply fold her into his embrace and kiss her senseless.

He cleared his throat and Hermione looked at him expectantly, an eyebrow raised. "You – that is, I – your hair is different today," he blurted out eventually. Hermione self-consciously touched a hand to the twin braids she had wrangled her hair into that morning.

"I knew we would be working, I wanted it out of the way," she explained.

"It looks pretty," Percy said in a rush. "I mean, you look pretty. In them. With them that way." He blushed bright red but Hermione didn't laugh, just laid her hand on his arm.

"Thank you," she said with a smile and Percy gave her a reluctant smile back. No one looking on –and there was someone watching - would have noticed but for the two people on the garden bench, the whole yard seemed to have shifted and they now found themselves in a different world.

The End


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